Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)

Overview

The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme is a joint initiative between the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (with funding from the Department for International Development (DFID), and UK universities, to support scholarships for students from developing Commonwealth countries who would not otherwise be able to study in the United Kingdom.

The aim of the scheme is to assist students from developing Commonwealth countries who are of excellent academic calibre but for financial reasons would not otherwise be able to afford to study in the United Kingdom. The scheme allows them to benefit from postgraduate study at a university in the United Kingdom which will help them to contribute toward the development of their home countries.

Awards are for taught Master's programmes only, subjects must be related to the economic, social and technological development of a candidate's country. 

UCL will allocate up to ten awards this academic year.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be a Commonwealth citizen, refugee, or British protected person
• Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country (for a full list of eligible countries, see the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission terms and conditions)
• Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2019
• By August 2019, hold a first degree of either first or upper second class (2:1) classification, or lower second class (2:2) classification plus a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)
• Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a developed country
• Be unable, either yourself or through your family, to pay to study in the UK
• Apply for admission to UCL for one of the eligible programmes below:

Value, Benefits and Duration

• The award will cover tuition fees, a maintenance allowance, economy air travel to and from the UK at the beginning and end of the scholar’s degree programme plus additional discretionary allowances. 
• Awards are normally tenable for one year.

Application Procedure and Deadlines

• You must separately apply for admission to UCL for one of the eligible programmes through the standard admissions procedure.

• You must apply for the scholarship on the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Electronic Application System (EAS) online following the procedures described on their website.
• Applications will open in early February 2019.

• In order to be considered for this scholarship at UCL, you must complete the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Electronic Application System (EAS) online: by the deadline of 21 March 2019.